| Mystery and Crime Fiction posted June 5, 2020 | Chapters: |
...6 7 -8- 9... 
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It's starting off as a perfect weekend...
A chapter in the book Looking for Orion - 2
The Arrival - part 1
by DeboraDyess
| Background Jack McClellan talks his brother, Cody, into taking a camping trip almost two years after Cody's wife was mrdered. It's his first outting since then. |
The sign above the diner read 'Highway Cafe', although there was no highway anywhere around the small community. It passed twenty-seven miles to the south, near a bustling town that thrived off the traffic on the Interstate. The sign had been painted in an earlier, more hopeful time, before the exact route for the thoroughfare was announced. The owners, already out time and expense upgrading the diner for an anticipated increase in clientele, decided not to throw good money after bad, and left the sign. It was the last renovation for the roadside cafe'.
Cody squinted into the morning sun as he slammed the Bronco door, looking up at the sign. "Didn't that used to be red?" he asked as he studied the pink lettering.
"Ah, so, little grasshopper," Jack responded in an almost oriental accent. "Time fade all things. Confucius say time fade you, too."
"Confusion say that? It may be true," Cody answered, opening the door and motioning Jack to enter. "But you first."
They entered the diner laughing and Jack raised a hand in greeting as the locals glanced up to check them out. They were mostly farmers and ranchers, stopping for a mid-morning cup of coffee at just barely 7:00 in the morning. One or two nodded in acknowledgement of the greeting, but most went back to their conversations.
"Move along, Howdy Doody." Cody nudged Jack in the back. "I'm hungry enough to eat a horse."
"Ain't got none of those," a voice said from behind them. A waitress, red-headed, tall and thin, stepped around the pair, grabbed a couple of menus and started forward, speaking over her shoulder as she moved. "We got 'bout ever'thing else, though. You name it, the cook'll fix it and I'll be happy to bring it out to you. Best deal in the house, though, is there on that blackboard. Fill you up for less than the cost of a couple of gallons of gas." She stopped beside a booth and motioned the men toward it.
An old man sitting at the table next to them said, "June, honey, can you get me a refill for my coffee?"
"Just a sec, Daddy. Let me get these gentlemen set down first."
He nodded and returned to his newspaper.
Cody slid onto the bench seat, found a comfortable place in its sagging cushion and looked around. The interior, like the sign outside, had seen better days. The vinyl on the chairs and benches was faded, and floor tiles, while clean, were chipped in spots and worn with traffic. Ceiling fans lifted smoky haze from customer's cigarettes, swirling it above them and creating a slight breeze overhead. It was apparent that no one in the diner had ever heard of a smoking ban. The bulletin board the waitress pointed out, displaying the breakfast and lunch specials in a scrawl that Cody wasn't sure was even English, looked like someone recently took it out back for a good thrashing.
The waitress stood, menus in hand, waiting. Cody held his hand out, glanced up at her and wondered if he'd done something wrong.
She frowned down at him. "You don't want the special?"
"I'd like to take a look at the menu first," Cody said, and smiled.
The red-head shrugged and handed him the tri-fold sheet of laminated paper. She glanced at Jack.
"Oh, I want the special," he assured her. "He will, too, once he's looked at everything else. He's like that, you know." He rolled his eyes and nodded at Cody.
"You guys brothers?"
"Nope," Jack said quickly. "Just met him last night. Responded to a personal ad in the newspaper."
"A personal ad? From him?" The waitress glanced at Cody, who'd looked up at Jack's comment.
"Yeah. It was sad, really. It read, 'Hermit seeks companionship for trip to state park. Will pay for gas.'"
"I'm not paying for the gas," Cody said quietly, returning to the menu.
"I felt bad for him. All he ever does is sit in a dark room, playing internet spades. No people skills at all. I agreed to come with him, but no hanky-panky. You know, strictly on the up-and-up."
The waitress grinned. "You're a funny guy,"
she said, putting her elbow on the back of Jack's bench and leaning forward to expose a little breast. "You married?"
"Regrettably so," Jack said, staring pointedly into her gray eyes.
"your wife's a lucky girl."
"I tell her that often. She snorts."
"How 'bout you, Mr. Hermit?" She glanced over at Cody.
Cody looked up, surprised. "Oh, yeah," he stammered, feeling the blood slide into his face. "Me, too. Married."
He held his left hand up.
"Don't sound like it."
Jack motioned her toward him and she leaned in, shoulders back to accentuate her figure. Jack whispered, "He's not married, but … he likes to pretend."
June glanced across the table without moving. "Pretend?"
"He's not quite right … in the head. Mom talks me into taking him out ever' once in a while so he'll feel normal. You know."
"Normal?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah … Everyone wants to feel normal. And Mom needs a break from him once in a while." He lowered his voice again, forcing June to look at him. "He lives with her."
"She lives with me,." Cody didn't look up from the menu. "It's my house."
Jack nodded and said, "Of course it is," while looking knowingly at the waitress.
Realization crossed June's face. "Oh …"
Cody passed her the menu. "I want the special."
She took it. "Okay, sweetie. give me just a minute, okay?" She used the cutsie voice that most women reserved for babies.
June turned toward the kitchen. "I'll start you boys with some coffee. You, too, Daddy," she said over her shoulder.
"married?" Cody raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to see Laine's face if she ever heard that. I think that one statement qualifies you not right in the head."
Jack chuckled.
Another man walked through the door, wearing a denim jacket and cowboy hat, which he removed and hung on a hat rack beside the cash register. The group of locals looked up, several greeting him by name. He moved past the brothers to a booth against the back wall.
"It's like a country club," Cody said. "Everybody part of the same little clique, with us just looking on."
Jack nodded. "Most of these guys probably grew up here, went to school together, have known each other their whole lives. They're as much a part of each other's world as this diner is."
They quieted as June came back with their coffee. "You can drink coffee, can't you honey? Be careful, now. It's hot." she warned as she set the mug down in front of Cody.
She turned before Cody could answer, setting coffee before her father. "Tell Momma I'll be around after work today to help her get ready for the church bizarre, okay?"
The old man nodded without a reply.
Cody began to listen to the conversations floating through the café'. The table beside him was discussing market costs for cattle feed.
"That damn coach," a louder voice accused from a booth across the room, "goin' to run us into the ground!"
"It's not like he can perform miracles, Mike," a second voice argued.
"He plays the same three plays ever' game, in the same order. We got good talent this year and we ain't goin' to play but ten games because the coach is stupid! If I know he's playing the same three plays then ever' coach in the district knows the same thing! Our boys are countin' on scholarships from football, and this dumb-ass is goin' to keep 'em from getting' 'em!"
"We been to state with him before."
"Thirteen years ago! That was thirteen years ago! My boy wasn't even in school then, much less playin' ball!"
June appeared with their food, interrupting Cody's eavesdropping.
"Brought plain syrup and homemade strawberry. It's local, made by ..." she scanned the crowd for a second. "His wife." She pointed to the coach-hater. "It's real good."
They ate, still listening to the gossip around them. They heard about the new preacher, very young, replacing a pastor who'd been at the church for twelve years but was moving on to a church up in the Panhandle to be closer to his parents; a scam involving farm equipment which lost Cody's interest almost immediately, and about a teacher at the high school who was, apparently, interested in the new preacher, even though she was dating the ineffective coach.
As they were paying Cody glanced up at the TV, set above the cash register. A news bulletin began to flash across the screen, the banner read 'Senator Kidnapped'. "Will you turn that up?" Cody asked.
"Sure," the man behind the register said. His deep voice sounded like he was talking through a barrel of gravel. He increased the volume, then changed the channel.
"Hey!" Cody protested. "I was watching that."
"Now you're not."
"But -"
"Farm report's comin' on."
"But that's news!"
"So get a newspaper."
"It's breaking news!"
"So buy a newspaper tomorrow. This is the farm report." He turned his back on Cody, ending the discussion.
Cody squinted into the morning sun as he slammed the Bronco door, looking up at the sign. "Didn't that used to be red?" he asked as he studied the pink lettering.
"Ah, so, little grasshopper," Jack responded in an almost oriental accent. "Time fade all things. Confucius say time fade you, too."
"Confusion say that? It may be true," Cody answered, opening the door and motioning Jack to enter. "But you first."
They entered the diner laughing and Jack raised a hand in greeting as the locals glanced up to check them out. They were mostly farmers and ranchers, stopping for a mid-morning cup of coffee at just barely 7:00 in the morning. One or two nodded in acknowledgement of the greeting, but most went back to their conversations.
"Move along, Howdy Doody." Cody nudged Jack in the back. "I'm hungry enough to eat a horse."
"Ain't got none of those," a voice said from behind them. A waitress, red-headed, tall and thin, stepped around the pair, grabbed a couple of menus and started forward, speaking over her shoulder as she moved. "We got 'bout ever'thing else, though. You name it, the cook'll fix it and I'll be happy to bring it out to you. Best deal in the house, though, is there on that blackboard. Fill you up for less than the cost of a couple of gallons of gas." She stopped beside a booth and motioned the men toward it.
An old man sitting at the table next to them said, "June, honey, can you get me a refill for my coffee?"
"Just a sec, Daddy. Let me get these gentlemen set down first."
He nodded and returned to his newspaper.
Cody slid onto the bench seat, found a comfortable place in its sagging cushion and looked around. The interior, like the sign outside, had seen better days. The vinyl on the chairs and benches was faded, and floor tiles, while clean, were chipped in spots and worn with traffic. Ceiling fans lifted smoky haze from customer's cigarettes, swirling it above them and creating a slight breeze overhead. It was apparent that no one in the diner had ever heard of a smoking ban. The bulletin board the waitress pointed out, displaying the breakfast and lunch specials in a scrawl that Cody wasn't sure was even English, looked like someone recently took it out back for a good thrashing.
The waitress stood, menus in hand, waiting. Cody held his hand out, glanced up at her and wondered if he'd done something wrong.
She frowned down at him. "You don't want the special?"
"I'd like to take a look at the menu first," Cody said, and smiled.
The red-head shrugged and handed him the tri-fold sheet of laminated paper. She glanced at Jack.
"Oh, I want the special," he assured her. "He will, too, once he's looked at everything else. He's like that, you know." He rolled his eyes and nodded at Cody.
"You guys brothers?"
"Nope," Jack said quickly. "Just met him last night. Responded to a personal ad in the newspaper."
"A personal ad? From him?" The waitress glanced at Cody, who'd looked up at Jack's comment.
"Yeah. It was sad, really. It read, 'Hermit seeks companionship for trip to state park. Will pay for gas.'"
"I'm not paying for the gas," Cody said quietly, returning to the menu.
"I felt bad for him. All he ever does is sit in a dark room, playing internet spades. No people skills at all. I agreed to come with him, but no hanky-panky. You know, strictly on the up-and-up."
The waitress grinned. "You're a funny guy,"
she said, putting her elbow on the back of Jack's bench and leaning forward to expose a little breast. "You married?"
"Regrettably so," Jack said, staring pointedly into her gray eyes.
"your wife's a lucky girl."
"I tell her that often. She snorts."
"How 'bout you, Mr. Hermit?" She glanced over at Cody.
Cody looked up, surprised. "Oh, yeah," he stammered, feeling the blood slide into his face. "Me, too. Married."
He held his left hand up.
"Don't sound like it."
Jack motioned her toward him and she leaned in, shoulders back to accentuate her figure. Jack whispered, "He's not married, but … he likes to pretend."
June glanced across the table without moving. "Pretend?"
"He's not quite right … in the head. Mom talks me into taking him out ever' once in a while so he'll feel normal. You know."
"Normal?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah … Everyone wants to feel normal. And Mom needs a break from him once in a while." He lowered his voice again, forcing June to look at him. "He lives with her."
"She lives with me,." Cody didn't look up from the menu. "It's my house."
Jack nodded and said, "Of course it is," while looking knowingly at the waitress.
Realization crossed June's face. "Oh …"
Cody passed her the menu. "I want the special."
She took it. "Okay, sweetie. give me just a minute, okay?" She used the cutsie voice that most women reserved for babies.
June turned toward the kitchen. "I'll start you boys with some coffee. You, too, Daddy," she said over her shoulder.
"married?" Cody raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to see Laine's face if she ever heard that. I think that one statement qualifies you not right in the head."
Jack chuckled.
Another man walked through the door, wearing a denim jacket and cowboy hat, which he removed and hung on a hat rack beside the cash register. The group of locals looked up, several greeting him by name. He moved past the brothers to a booth against the back wall.
"It's like a country club," Cody said. "Everybody part of the same little clique, with us just looking on."
Jack nodded. "Most of these guys probably grew up here, went to school together, have known each other their whole lives. They're as much a part of each other's world as this diner is."
They quieted as June came back with their coffee. "You can drink coffee, can't you honey? Be careful, now. It's hot." she warned as she set the mug down in front of Cody.
She turned before Cody could answer, setting coffee before her father. "Tell Momma I'll be around after work today to help her get ready for the church bizarre, okay?"
The old man nodded without a reply.
Cody began to listen to the conversations floating through the café'. The table beside him was discussing market costs for cattle feed.
"That damn coach," a louder voice accused from a booth across the room, "goin' to run us into the ground!"
"It's not like he can perform miracles, Mike," a second voice argued.
"He plays the same three plays ever' game, in the same order. We got good talent this year and we ain't goin' to play but ten games because the coach is stupid! If I know he's playing the same three plays then ever' coach in the district knows the same thing! Our boys are countin' on scholarships from football, and this dumb-ass is goin' to keep 'em from getting' 'em!"
"We been to state with him before."
"Thirteen years ago! That was thirteen years ago! My boy wasn't even in school then, much less playin' ball!"
June appeared with their food, interrupting Cody's eavesdropping.
"Brought plain syrup and homemade strawberry. It's local, made by ..." she scanned the crowd for a second. "His wife." She pointed to the coach-hater. "It's real good."
They ate, still listening to the gossip around them. They heard about the new preacher, very young, replacing a pastor who'd been at the church for twelve years but was moving on to a church up in the Panhandle to be closer to his parents; a scam involving farm equipment which lost Cody's interest almost immediately, and about a teacher at the high school who was, apparently, interested in the new preacher, even though she was dating the ineffective coach.
As they were paying Cody glanced up at the TV, set above the cash register. A news bulletin began to flash across the screen, the banner read 'Senator Kidnapped'. "Will you turn that up?" Cody asked.
"Sure," the man behind the register said. His deep voice sounded like he was talking through a barrel of gravel. He increased the volume, then changed the channel.
"Hey!" Cody protested. "I was watching that."
"Now you're not."
"But -"
"Farm report's comin' on."
"But that's news!"
"So get a newspaper."
"It's breaking news!"
"So buy a newspaper tomorrow. This is the farm report." He turned his back on Cody, ending the discussion.
Finally got the boys out of that darned office! lol
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